Feeding the 5,000

In Matthew 14:15-21, Jesus demonstrates that He can multiply our resources when we offer them to Him in faith. Please click on the link above to read the story of the loaves and fishes if you aren't familiar with it.

Our church is making a point to have services that are an interruption (to what is typical or expected) during the season of Lent. This past Sunday, our good friend Brian was in charge of leading the service. The text was Matthew 14:15-21. He called all the children up (they were in the service...another interruption), and gave them each a $10 bill. He then asked them what kinds of things they could buy. After a round of precious answers, they returned to their seats. Brian pointed out that each of those $10 couldn't do that much on its own, but together, they could buy a lot. He pointed out that when we come together as a community, as a faith family, we have much more to offer. When we make that offering in faith and give it up to Christ, He can do so much more.

At that point, Brian announced that we (ALL of us) would now be heading to the local Publix. We were given a list of items that a local food bank was in desperate need of. We were going to act as a community of faith, bring together our resources, and offer them to Jesus to do with them what He would.

We had that grocery store jam packed. The aisles (especially canned goods and dry goods) were completely impassable at times. The checkouts were full. I've shopped in those conditions before. It typically doesn't thrill me. However, can I just say that I have never seen so much JOY as I did on the faces of the customers in Publix that morning! We were not just reading The Word and being told to meet the needs of those around us. We were doing it. We weren't just sitting in the church and hearing about living in faith and God's provision, we were stepping out in faith and actively trusting in God's provision.

Each of those children who went up and got a $10 bill, spent it in Publix that day to help feed those in need. C took the passage from the Bible very much to heart and wanted loaves and fishes to feed the hungry. For a food bank shelf, we were able to translate that to cans of tuna and bags of flour and cornmeal. C was happy. The Bible became alive for him.

We all drove over to the food bank and loaded our groceries onto their poorly stocked shelves. All I know is that when I left there, the shelves were completely full.

I don't go to a church in a wealthy part of town. Several people from our congregation have lost their jobs this year. We have tons of college students at our church. We are not rolling in money. To spend unbudgeted money on a full cart of groceries was hard for a lot of people, I'm sure. No one minded. It was pure joy. It was one of those times when you know that you are doing exactly what you should be doing. Our hearts were full. We acted as a family, we gave in faith, Christ took our meager offering, and used it to bless many.

We are blessed to be a blessing, indeed!